Wren Road Fatality

Chris Deardorff

2004-06-01





I ride on Wren road commuting to work about once a

week, and during training rides. There are only two

small corners with limited visibility for traffic.

The rest of the road is flat, straight with open

fields on both sides and almost no traffic. Cyclist

visibility doesn't get much better. This is a

terrible shame, regardless of who is at fault.





--- ".David.Auker." <Dav-@Hevanet.com> wrote:

 
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OK, I just talked with the WA County "Information

Officer" Sandy James.

Apparently, the victim's riding partner gave the

same sorry story as the

impacting van driver and the car that had just

passed: the rider veered way

over, actually into the opposite (E.-bound) lane. I

will get the name of

this other rider when the County is free to share

the info (James wasn't

sure if further investigation is currently

underway).



It's easy to jump to conclusions on something like

this...hard to believe

that there was such an erratic line taken by the

rider, but that's the way

the reports are shaping up to portray.



David







----- Original Message -----

From: "Denham, Mitch" <mitch.-@intel.com>

To: <Dav-@Hevanet.com>; "Reid, Pam"

<pam.-@intel.com>

Cc: "Ray Thomas" <rtho-@stc-law.com>;

<c-@rivercitybicycles.com>

Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 9:22 AM

Subject: RE: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality





| I ride this road 2-3 times a week. Most of it is

very straight with

| good visibility. There is a patch of trees and a

couple corners as you

| get closer to Glencoe Rd. There is some

construction going on near

| Leisy Rd, but nothing to cause concern. There is

little to no shoulder

| which is typical of Washington County roads in

general. I am generally

| much more nervous when I ride on

Cornelius-Schiefflin Rd due to the

| speed and volume of traffic on that road. It is

very troubling to hear

| about this accident on Wren.

|

| David - please let me know if you find out any

more information on this.

|

| Thanks,

| Mitch Denham

|

|

|

| -----Original Message-----

| From: .David.Auker. [mailto:Dav-@Hevanet.com]

| Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 8:57 AM

| To: Reid, Pam; ob-@topica.com; Reid, Pam;

ob-@topica.com

| Cc: Ray Thomas; c-@rivercitybicycles.com; Ray

Thomas;

| c-@rivercitybicycles.com

| Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality

|

|

|

|

| I think we need to hear from the other cyclist to

get a better feeling

| for

| who committed the error on Wren Road. I am

waiting to hear from

| Washington

| County's "Information Officer" Sandy James this

morning, as I left her a

| message and was told she's good about returning

calls. I have no idea

| if I

| can get the other cyclist's name. Did anyone on

this list know Walter

| G.

| McKinnon, and who he rode with?

|

| I'm reserving judgment on who screwed up, but it

sounds really weird

| that a

| cyclist "pulled into the path" of the van to

"collide" with it (and I've

| heard that damage to the van was on the DRIVER'S

SIDE...the news report

| has

| him "veering to pass," so this seems strange). I

hope that just passing

| cyclists isn't considered an impossible thing to

do (and I think this

| road

| may have pretty good visibility).

|

| I'll post whatever info I get from WA County.

Perhaps Ray Thomas, being

| a

| lawyer, can really get to the bottom of this.

|

| Take care,

|

| David

|

|

| ----- Original Message -----

| From: "Reid, Pam" <pam.-@intel.com>

| To: <Dav-@Hevanet.com>; <ob-@topica.com>

| Cc: "Ray Thomas" <rtho-@stc-law.com>;

<c-@rivercitybicycles.com>

| Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 8:18 AM

| Subject: RE: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality

|

|

| | How can we get more information and how can we

as cyclists help?

| |

|

| | -----Original Message-----

| | From: .David.Auker. [mailto:Dav-@Hevanet.com]

| | Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2004 10:26 AM

| | To: ob-@topica.com; ob-@topica.com

| | Cc: Ray Thomas; c-@rivercitybicycles.com; Ray

Thomas;

| | c-@rivercitybicycles.com

| | Subject: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality

| |

|

| | Today's Oregonian, page B6, mentions a cyclist

death, Friday

| afternoon,

| | on

| | Wren Road in Washington County. According to

the article, Walter G.

| | McKinnon's bike "collided with a van." It

sounds like the van's

| driver

| | (17

| | years old) "veered" into the opposite lane to

attempt to pass, after

| | McKinnon "pulled into his path."

| |

| | If the driver exercised due caution, and the

cyclist really pulled

| | something

| | unpredictable, it sounds like a tragic,

unavoidable accident. The

| | article

| | doesn't say anything about the driver being

cited for any traffic

| | infraction...

| |

| | If this was careless driving, and he gets away

with it, we should be

| | very

| | nervous and angry... I looked at a map of Wren

Road, and it appears

| to

| | be

| | quite a straight road, with only one slight

curve in its 2.5 mile

| length

| | between Cornelius-Schiefflin Rd to the west and

Glencoe Rd to the

| east.

| |

| | All of us should be concerned about this. My

gut feeling says the

| main

| | rider error was merely being on that road at the

same time as the

| | driver.

| | The article saying the rider "collided with a

van" is strangely

| worded,

| | as

| | it seems to me that he was "hit."

| |

| | David

| |

|

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.David.Auker.

2004-06-01



OK, I just talked with the WA County "Information Officer" Sandy James.

Apparently, the victim's riding partner gave the same sorry story as the

impacting van driver and the car that had just passed: the rider veered way

over, actually into the opposite (E.-bound) lane. I will get the name of

this other rider when the County is free to share the info (James wasn't

sure if further investigation is currently underway).



It's easy to jump to conclusions on something like this...hard to believe

that there was such an erratic line taken by the rider, but that's the way

the reports are shaping up to portray.



David







----- Original Message -----

From: "Denham, Mitch" <mitch.-@intel.com>

To: <Dav-@Hevanet.com>; "Reid, Pam" <pam.-@intel.com>

Cc: "Ray Thomas" <rtho-@stc-law.com>; <c-@rivercitybicycles.com>

Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 9:22 AM

Subject: RE: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality





| I ride this road 2-3 times a week. Most of it is very straight with

| good visibility. There is a patch of trees and a couple corners as you

| get closer to Glencoe Rd. There is some construction going on near

| Leisy Rd, but nothing to cause concern. There is little to no shoulder

| which is typical of Washington County roads in general. I am generally

| much more nervous when I ride on Cornelius-Schiefflin Rd due to the

| speed and volume of traffic on that road. It is very troubling to hear

| about this accident on Wren.

|

| David - please let me know if you find out any more information on this.

|

| Thanks,

| Mitch Denham

|

|

|

| -----Original Message-----

| From: .David.Auker. [mailto:Dav-@Hevanet.com]

| Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 8:57 AM

| To: Reid, Pam; ob-@topica.com; Reid, Pam; ob-@topica.com

| Cc: Ray Thomas; c-@rivercitybicycles.com; Ray Thomas;

| c-@rivercitybicycles.com

| Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality

|

|

|

|

| I think we need to hear from the other cyclist to get a better feeling

| for

| who committed the error on Wren Road. I am waiting to hear from

| Washington

| County's "Information Officer" Sandy James this morning, as I left her a

| message and was told she's good about returning calls. I have no idea

| if I

| can get the other cyclist's name. Did anyone on this list know Walter

| G.

| McKinnon, and who he rode with?

|

| I'm reserving judgment on who screwed up, but it sounds really weird

| that a

| cyclist "pulled into the path" of the van to "collide" with it (and I've

| heard that damage to the van was on the DRIVER'S SIDE...the news report

| has

| him "veering to pass," so this seems strange). I hope that just passing

| cyclists isn't considered an impossible thing to do (and I think this

| road

| may have pretty good visibility).

|

| I'll post whatever info I get from WA County. Perhaps Ray Thomas, being

| a

| lawyer, can really get to the bottom of this.

|

| Take care,

|

| David

|

|

| ----- Original Message -----

| From: "Reid, Pam" <pam.-@intel.com>

| To: <Dav-@Hevanet.com>; <ob-@topica.com>

| Cc: "Ray Thomas" <rtho-@stc-law.com>; <c-@rivercitybicycles.com>

| Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 8:18 AM

| Subject: RE: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality

|

|

| | How can we get more information and how can we as cyclists help?

| |

|

| | -----Original Message-----

| | From: .David.Auker. [mailto:Dav-@Hevanet.com]

| | Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2004 10:26 AM

| | To: ob-@topica.com; ob-@topica.com

| | Cc: Ray Thomas; c-@rivercitybicycles.com; Ray Thomas;

| | c-@rivercitybicycles.com

| | Subject: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality

| |

|

| | Today's Oregonian, page B6, mentions a cyclist death, Friday

| afternoon,

| | on

| | Wren Road in Washington County. According to the article, Walter G.

| | McKinnon's bike "collided with a van." It sounds like the van's

| driver

| | (17

| | years old) "veered" into the opposite lane to attempt to pass, after

| | McKinnon "pulled into his path."

| |

| | If the driver exercised due caution, and the cyclist really pulled

| | something

| | unpredictable, it sounds like a tragic, unavoidable accident. The

| | article

| | doesn't say anything about the driver being cited for any traffic

| | infraction...

| |

| | If this was careless driving, and he gets away with it, we should be

| | very

| | nervous and angry... I looked at a map of Wren Road, and it appears

| to

| | be

| | quite a straight road, with only one slight curve in its 2.5 mile

| length

| | between Cornelius-Schiefflin Rd to the west and Glencoe Rd to the

| east.

| |

| | All of us should be concerned about this. My gut feeling says the

| main

| | rider error was merely being on that road at the same time as the

| | driver.

| | The article saying the rider "collided with a van" is strangely

| worded,

| | as

| | it seems to me that he was "hit."

| |

| | David

| |

|



.David.Auker.

2004-06-01



I think we need to hear from the other cyclist to get a better feeling for

who committed the error on Wren Road. I am waiting to hear from Washington

County's "Information Officer" Sandy James this morning, as I left her a

message and was told she's good about returning calls. I have no idea if I

can get the other cyclist's name. Did anyone on this list know Walter G.

McKinnon, and who he rode with?



I'm reserving judgment on who screwed up, but it sounds really weird that a

cyclist "pulled into the path" of the van to "collide" with it (and I've

heard that damage to the van was on the DRIVER'S SIDE...the news report has

him "veering to pass," so this seems strange). I hope that just passing

cyclists isn't considered an impossible thing to do (and I think this road

may have pretty good visibility).



I'll post whatever info I get from WA County. Perhaps Ray Thomas, being a

lawyer, can really get to the bottom of this.



Take care,



David





----- Original Message -----

From: "Reid, Pam" <pam.-@intel.com>

To: <Dav-@Hevanet.com>; <ob-@topica.com>

Cc: "Ray Thomas" <rtho-@stc-law.com>; <c-@rivercitybicycles.com>

Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 8:18 AM

Subject: RE: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality





| How can we get more information and how can we as cyclists help?

|



| -----Original Message-----

| From: .David.Auker. [mailto:Dav-@Hevanet.com]

| Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2004 10:26 AM

| To: ob-@topica.com; ob-@topica.com

| Cc: Ray Thomas; c-@rivercitybicycles.com; Ray Thomas;

| c-@rivercitybicycles.com

| Subject: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality

|



| Today's Oregonian, page B6, mentions a cyclist death, Friday afternoon,

| on

| Wren Road in Washington County. According to the article, Walter G.

| McKinnon's bike "collided with a van." It sounds like the van's driver

| (17

| years old) "veered" into the opposite lane to attempt to pass, after

| McKinnon "pulled into his path."

|

| If the driver exercised due caution, and the cyclist really pulled

| something

| unpredictable, it sounds like a tragic, unavoidable accident. The

| article

| doesn't say anything about the driver being cited for any traffic

| infraction...

|

| If this was careless driving, and he gets away with it, we should be

| very

| nervous and angry... I looked at a map of Wren Road, and it appears to

| be

| quite a straight road, with only one slight curve in its 2.5 mile length

| between Cornelius-Schiefflin Rd to the west and Glencoe Rd to the east.

|

| All of us should be concerned about this. My gut feeling says the main

| rider error was merely being on that road at the same time as the

| driver.

| The article saying the rider "collided with a van" is strangely worded,

| as

| it seems to me that he was "hit."

|

| David

|



Reid, Pam

2004-06-01



How can we get more information and how can we as cyclists help?



-----Original Message-----

From: .David.Auker. [mailto:Dav-@Hevanet.com]

Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2004 10:26 AM

To: ob-@topica.com; ob-@topica.com

Cc: Ray Thomas; c-@rivercitybicycles.com; Ray Thomas;

c-@rivercitybicycles.com

Subject: [OBRA Chat] Wren Road Fatality



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Today's Oregonian, page B6, mentions a cyclist death, Friday afternoon,

on

Wren Road in Washington County. According to the article, Walter G.

McKinnon's bike "collided with a van." It sounds like the van's driver

(17

years old) "veered" into the opposite lane to attempt to pass, after

McKinnon "pulled into his path."



If the driver exercised due caution, and the cyclist really pulled

something

unpredictable, it sounds like a tragic, unavoidable accident. The

article

doesn't say anything about the driver being cited for any traffic

infraction...



If this was careless driving, and he gets away with it, we should be

very

nervous and angry... I looked at a map of Wren Road, and it appears to

be

quite a straight road, with only one slight curve in its 2.5 mile length

between Cornelius-Schiefflin Rd to the west and Glencoe Rd to the east.



All of us should be concerned about this. My gut feeling says the main

rider error was merely being on that road at the same time as the

driver.

The article saying the rider "collided with a van" is strangely worded,

as

it seems to me that he was "hit."



David



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To respond to the whole group send to ob-@topica.com.

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To unsubscribe send to obra-uns-@topica.com



.David.Auker.

2004-05-29



Today's Oregonian, page B6, mentions a cyclist death, Friday afternoon, on

Wren Road in Washington County. According to the article, Walter G.

McKinnon's bike "collided with a van." It sounds like the van's driver (17

years old) "veered" into the opposite lane to attempt to pass, after

McKinnon "pulled into his path."



If the driver exercised due caution, and the cyclist really pulled something

unpredictable, it sounds like a tragic, unavoidable accident. The article

doesn't say anything about the driver being cited for any traffic

infraction...



If this was careless driving, and he gets away with it, we should be very

nervous and angry... I looked at a map of Wren Road, and it appears to be

quite a straight road, with only one slight curve in its 2.5 mile length

between Cornelius-Schiefflin Rd to the west and Glencoe Rd to the east.



All of us should be concerned about this. My gut feeling says the main

rider error was merely being on that road at the same time as the driver.

The article saying the rider "collided with a van" is strangely worded, as

it seems to me that he was "hit."



David